Fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that develop in the wall of uterus. Uterine fibroids in particular occur in a large percentage of the female population, with some studies indicating up to 40 percent of all women have fibroids. Such fibroids can grow over time to be several centimeters in diameter and symptoms can include menorrhagia, reproductive dysfunction, pelvic pressure and pain.
One current treatment of fibroids is endoscopic or hysteroscopic resection or myomectomy. In relation to uterine fibroids, this involves transcervical access to the uterus with a hysteroscope together with insertion of a resecting instrument through a working channel in the hysteroscope. The resecting instrument may be an electrosurgical resection device such as a cutting loop. An electrosurgical resecting device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,615. In other instances, a mechanical cutter may be used to remove the fibroid. Mechanical cutting devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,226,459; 6,032,673 and 5,730,752 and U.S. Published Patent Appl. 2009/0270898.
In a resection procedure, one step of the procedure includes distention of the operating cavity to create a working space for the procedure. In a relaxed state, body cavities tend to collapse with opposing walls in contact with one another. A fluid management system is used to distend the operating cavity to provide a working space. Fluid is administered through a passageway in the endoscope or hysteroscope or another device under sufficient pressure to expand or distend the body cavity. In some instances, the administered fluid may be taken up up by the body, such as through an exposed blood vessel, which may be termed intravasation. In general, this fluid uptake is undesirable and can even cause serious complications or even death.